"When the destinies of Europe stood tottering in the balance." I looked for my own notes and found them safe. Now could he have hit off the very same description of the French Revolution as I? Could he have seen the pamphlet from which I copied it? Perhaps he had got my father's manuscript of Dantin's speech as well. My nerves were by this time so unsettled, and my mouth so dry, that I had given up all intention of speaking for that night; when an attack upon my patron turned all eyes in the House upon me. It was broadly asserted that he had sold his seat for money, and had pledged his candidate to vote through thick and thin against the Bill. The House all laughed and looked at me. "I could not laugh,” though I might have said Amen, so be it, for it was; and though, when the infernal Radical sat down, there was a sort of call for me, some drunken dandies at the Bar cried, Question! question! and so did I; at which, all the opposite side roared with laughter and so ended my first night of intentions; and though I had not made myself celebrated, I had made myself conspicuous enough, God knows.

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THE noble house of PAGET, of which her Grace the Duchess of Richmond is a scion, is of Staffordshire origin. WILLIAM PAGET, born at Wednesbury, in that county, settled in London in the reign of Henry VIII., and served the office of serjeant-at-mace, in those days a function of high respectability. His son,

WILLIAM PAGET, born in London, received his education under Lilly, at St. Paul's school, afterwards at the University of Cambridge, and finally at Paris. This gentleman's first public service of importance was a mission to France, to consult the learned relative to the divorce of Henry VIII. and his Queen, Catherine of Arragon. In this affair he gave great satisfaction, as is

evident not only from the favours he received, but from the offices of trust and difficulty afterwards confided to his care. In 1543, he received the honour of knighthood, and went as ambassador to France. He attended King Henry to Bulloigne, and that monarch, on his death-bed, bequeathed him a legacy of 300l., and appointed him one of his executors, and of the council to to his successor, the youthful Edward. With the Duke of Somerset, Sir William Paget contracted an intimate friendship. In 1546, he was elected a Knight of the Garter, and the following year was summoned to Parliament as Baron Paget of Beaudesert, in the county of Stafford. He was, however, a person of too high importance to escape the ambition of the Protector's enemy, the Duke of Northumberland, and he participated in the downfal of his patron. On the commital of Somerset, the duke also sent Paget to the Tower; but the persecution so fatal to the former, was dropped soon after with regard to the latter. On King Edward's death, Lord Paget joined with the Earl of Arundel, the boldest champion of Queen Mary. These noblemen forthwith caused the Princess to be proclaimed in the city of London, and accompanied with twenty horse, rode post the same evening to inform her Majesty of the loyal intentions of her subjects. After the marriage of the Queen with Philip of Spain, for the arrangement of which he had been one of the commission, Lord Paget went ambassador to the Emperor, then at Brussels. At the accession of Elizabeth, his lordship, at his own request, quitted the public service, as he was a strict Catholic, though still enjoying the royal favour. Lord Paget espoused Anne, daughter and heir of Henry Peston, Esq., and dying in 1563, was succeeded by his eldest

son,